WASHINGTON -- The Nationals were presented with a chance to bounce back from a rough weekend in Toronto, with a suspended game and a makeup game against the Yankees on Monday at Nationals Park. They started the day with a bang, thanks to Juan Soto's heroics in the suspended-game win, but the Nats could not secure a sweep as they fell, 4-2, in the nightcap.
"1-1. We got the win," first baseman Mark Reynolds said. "It was weird playing like three innings and then 30 minutes later playing a full game."
It was a strange day that the Nationals can still take away as a positive, especially considering bullpen help is on the way. During the game, the team announced it had completed a trade to acquire right-hander Kelvin Herrera from the Royals in exchange for three Minor Leaguers. The addition strengthens the Nats' relief corps and adds another reliable arm to the back end of their bullpen.
"He's really good. He's been really good this year, too, so I'm excited to have him," manager Dave Martinez said. "He's going to fit right in. He's closed games, he's come in in the eighth. For me, we have an All-Star closer right now [in Sean Doolittle], so [Herrera] will be asked to do some different things."

The Nats can also come away encourgaged with the way right-hander Erick Fedde pitched in his second straight outing against New York, giving up three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. But they struggled to find much offense against the Yankees and right-hander Sonny Gray, who began the game with a 4.98 ERA. He struck out seven in five innings of two-run ball before turning the game over to New York's bullpen, one of the most formidable relief corps in baseball, which closed out the game with four scoreless innings.
The Nationals hope that a trade like the one they completed Monday will help them form a bullpen like the Yankees', one positioned to help take them to the next level in October.
"It takes a lot of quality arms," right-hander Ryan Madson said. "You look at any postseason team, there's a lot of quality arms out there. … So you can never too many, and quality like these. So [Herrera] will be a welcome addition."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Nationals tried to rally against left-hander Albertin Chapman in the ninth inning, placing the tying runs at first and second with one out. Chapman answered by striking out Adam Eaton before Trea Turner put a charge into a fly ball to the warning track in right field, but Aaron Judge made a running catch for the final out.
"You know what? I'm proud of the boys, I really am," Martinez said. "I've always said this -- a sign of a good team is never quitting, and we never quit. At the end of the day, we faced one of the best closers in the game and we had him on the ropes and Trea hit the ball to the warning track, so I'm really proud of them."

HE SAID IT
"I think it's awesome. It was definitely a confidence boost from Davey and from [general manager Mike Rizzo] to tell me that's still my job. It's tough because you want to add some stuff, but you don't want to have too many cooks in the kitchen. It's not necessarily that guys are super attached to their roles, but they like to know what to expect -- when they're going to pitch in a game, when to get ready, that sort of stuff. So it definitely gives us some serious weapons." -- Doolittle, on the addition of Herrera and being told he would remain the Nationals' closer
UP NEXT
The Nationals begin a three-game series with the Orioles at 7:05 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Nationals Park. Washington will turn to right-hander Jefry Rodriguez, who allowed two hits over five innings on Thursday for Double-A Harrisburg. David Hess will start for Baltimore.